Doll&#39;s head



^- KGNOFF ET AL DOLL s` HEAD Aug. 25, 1936.Y

Filed Jan. 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 d m .E w 2 @Nm E 00M E TKB N NRU R l EER o vw@ T T.|\\ MAJ. M ,do .LE AL Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l 2,051,865 DoLLs HEAD New York Application January 22, 1982,'seria1 No. 588,088

zo claims. (ci. 1s- 169) This invention relates to toys, particularly dolls, and more especially to a novel kind of dolls Y head provided with movable eyes.

Dolls heads are ordinarily rigid andare made of separately Ymolded front and back halves cemented in edge to edge relation. It hasbeen suggested to make the head of a resilient or elastic material, such as rubber, in which case an advantage in manufacture is obtained, due to the ability to strip a one-piece head from a unitary core. What is even more important is the advantage in use resulting from the elasticity of the material, for the head, instead of being rigid and lifeless, yields to the touch more nearly like a human head. However, this advantage is offset by the fact that the head yields even Where it is undesirabie to have it yield. Furthermore, the better class of dolls heads are invariably equipped with movable or oscillatable eyes, and, probably for obvious reasons, no one has heretofore proposed or succeeded in combining a yieldable or rubber dolls head with movable eyes such as the conventional and well-known gravity operated type.

The object of the present invention, generally, is to overcome the foregoing di'culties. More particularly, one object of the present invention is to devise suitable means for successfully mounting a movable eye set in a yieldable or rubber head of the type here considered. Another object of the present invention is Vtoreinforce or stiffen the dolls head, so that while retaining the advantages of softness and yieldability to the plify the resulting construction.

Further and more detailed objects of the present invention are to so designthe mounting means for the eye set that the eye set may readily be inserted through the neck opening of the dolls head, and attached in place after the head has been otherwise completed; to so design the eye set supporting or/and head stiffening means that a portion thereof may also be used to define and form eye sockets or bearing surfaces for the oscillatable eye members; to provide, when desired, stidening means for the dolls head, which will rigidly support and hold the shape of'part of the head and yet permit complete yieldability of desired portions of the head, and in every case to fulll in the design of the improved dolls head the important desideratum that the head be readily moldable and easily stripped from its core while molding the head in one piece, in contradistinction to the use of front and back halves.

. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a rubber head, the wall or rubber body of which is formed into a minor compartment subordinate to and open to the interior of l the'head for receiving, seating and retaining in place a preferably metallic stiffening casing preferably located at or nearthe eye openings and having means for supporting movable doll eyes at the eye openings.

To theaccomplishment of the foregoing and such other ,objects as may hereinafter appear, our invention consists in the dolls head and eye set` elements andV their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be dened in the claims.,` The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through one form of ydolls head embodying features of the Vpresent invention;

Fig. 2 is )a` horizontal section taken in the planev Fig. 3ar is a similar view of the aforesaid variation;

Fig. fl is a vertical section through a dolls head embodying .features of the present invention in different formi- Y Fig.`5 is a horizontal section taken in the plane 2 of the line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section taken -inthe plane of the line 6--6 in Fig. 4; and

.. Fig. '7 is explanatory of a still 4further modification of the invention.

jV Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, the present invention is illustratedas comprising a dolls head H, a movable eye set E, and combined stiifening and mounting means S.' The head H is made of Va moderately yieldable and resilient substance, such as rubber, and the rubber is vulcanized, but it is not hardened. While the resulting head tends to maintain its normal shape, it is nevertheless soft and yieldable to the touch. The head is preferably molded as a single piece around an integral or unitary core, for it Vmay be stripped from the core by reason of the elasticity of the material-used. y

' Thek eye set E'may be of any desired or conventional type,` and in the present case is illustrated as comprising simply a cross rod I2, a pair of generally hemispherical eye shells I4 mounted freely and self-adjustably on said cross rod, key or intermediate members I6 frictionally locked on said Cross rod and causing rotation of the eye shells I4 with the cross rod, and a depending gravity -weight I8 for causing the -desired oscillation of the feye set. Y

The combined stiifening and mounting means S in the present case is in the form of a general-- ly annular strip of metal 20 which extendsrcircumferentially around the interior of the head and closely follows its internal configuration. .At the sides of the head adjacent :the eye openings, the strip of metal 20 is provided with bearing holes 22, best shown in Fig. 3, and has struck therefrom resilient or spring bearing tongues 24, the forward or free ends of which pass 'through the bearing holes 22. These tongues normally exe tend inwardly of the remainder of the strip of metal, asis best shown `"in lthe horizontal section of Fig; 2. The ends of the tongues are therefore adapted to vbear 'against and "hold the cross Arod `I 2 in piace in the 4dolls head. 'It will be evidentthat Abecause ofthe springy or resilient nature of the tongues 2`4,'the eye set, after Y'being `inserted 'through the neck opening of `the head, may be pushed into place past 'the tongues 24 by means of the depending 'weight I'B. The eye. 'set, once 'mounted vinplace, is dimcult to dislodge, for the head of the 'doll is rigidly reinforced between the temples and at the points of mounting 'of the eye set. 'From another viewpoint, it may 'be stated that lthe mounting of the eye set is in no way affected 4bythe yieldability of parts 'of the head, because the direct mounting vof the eye 'set is in the reinforcement itself, rather than in the head. As here disclosed, the front portion Vof the strip 23 passes directly racross the eye openings in the dolls head, and the strip is therefore 'cut 'away at the 'eye openings. If desired, the edges ofthe openings in the strip `may bel flanged outwardly, as shown at 25, thereby forming `ana'ccurate 'eye socket or Ybearing seat 'forthe oscillatable eye shells I4. Inasmuch as thislmetallic bearing seat may `be accurately predetermined in dimension, location, and shape, it heips secure 'an 'accurate "fit between the eye shells and `the 'eye sockets.

In molding the head, the band S may "'be 'preliminarily tted over the core which d'enes the interior of the head. The tongues 24 will at that time 'be forced outwardly llus'h with `the remain- 'derof the strip 29. The annular strip ispreferably located at therpoint of largest `iliarxieter of the 4dolls l"head, as will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawings. During .the molding operation, the 'rubber'or other material used is molded directly 'around the lmetallic insert S. When the `molding operation is 'completed, the edges of the head-at 'the neck 'opening are turned back and pulled toward the top of *the head. .In 'this mannerft'he 'head may be drawn froinlthe core as far as 'the insert S. `I Iowever, when .the :insert is'reache'd, the maximum diameter Aof .the core has .also been reached, and `lthe remainder of lthehead .together with .the insert .is readily drawn from thecore.l 1A :slight vtilting Vof the .-head during its .removal will permit thisstripping operation in spite -of the use -of :projections yon the lcore Vat fthe aeye openings. It should :be noted, however, that if desired :such Lprojections may be omitted whencthe ilanges'or bear-ing seats 26 :are 'formed on :the insert S.' because these .flanges :will themselves :limit the flow of lthe :ma--

terial being molded. It should also be appreciated that if desired the head may be molded without having the reinforce S in place, and the latter may subsequently be inserted within the head. When this procedure is followed, the core should preferably be provided with raised portions, in order .tn iorrn recesses corresponding to the insert S, `so that when the insert is subsequentlytted in place, it may be received and securely held within the aforesaid recesses.

In either case, it will be understood that the head or rubber body is so shaped as toform a compartment subordinate to and open to the interior of Vthe fhead, which compartment receives and seats vand retains the reinforce or casing S in position. This reinforce or casing is preferably located at or .near the eye openings and is provided Withmeansto support the movable doll eyes in the Yeye openings. More broadly, the eye opening may be referred to as an apertured facial lcharacteristic, 'andthe 'eye'may be referred to as a facial element. 'The subordinate compartment has been illustrated as relativelyshallow in depth, but may, -of course, he 'deepened Iif desired.

Figs. `Zaxand Scare respectively similar to Figs. r2 land 3, and 'are presented showing a v*slight modification of the form of the invention so far described, Referringto the said figures, it will be observed that the insert S similarly consists 'of a generally Iannular 'strip of metal 20, and that tongues 24 are lstruck from the sides'of the 'strip 20. In this case, however, the 'tongues 124 lare provided with outwardly projecting Icups `or recesses 22' vfor receiving the ends ofthe :cross 'rod I2. 'In'this'case the tongues 24" 'may be "left 'flush with the strip 20, ormay be bent inwardlyin the manner indicated Yin Figs. 1, 2, and 3. `In-'either case the eye set *is inserted in place just as was `described "in connection with the `earlier figures of the drawings. 'In case thetongues 2'4"are left already described, inthat it maybe made of a relatively vresilient or .yieldable material, preferably rubber. .The `eye set E maybe of any desired or conventional type, but in the present case islillustrated as comprising a short cross'rodf30 having frictorra'lly mounted thereon 'a pair of tubular members 32. Apa'ir of generally hemispherical eye'she'lls `34 -are freelyniou'nted on the tubular members 'Ihe eye shells 'are oscillated together by afplate'36 which is pivoted on the tubular members '32 by forwardly extending ylugs '38. An operating or weightfmechanism '4D is secured in downwardly depending .relation to' 'the plate 36.

Thes'tiffening memberSinthe presentform of -Lthe 'invention .is quite diileren't from 'that ,previlously described, for .it takesthe -form of a metal backing .or liningextending generally throughout the interior `of .the `do'lls head. This lining is .cut away, ofcourse, at the eye openings .in .the doll's head, and, if desired, may be Aaccurately dimensioned at `the said openings .in .order ato lformbeaneingseats for theeyemembers 34. Thesheet metal iliningis furthercut awayatran-y .desired places,..in

`orderfto permit rthe outer surface of the head Htc V yield in a natural manner at the said places. For example, in the present case the lining S is cut -away at the cheeks 42 and at the chin 44,` so that f the outer surface ofthe dolls head is soft and 1 yieldable to the touch at these points, corresponding to the fleshy portions of a natural head. At the same time, the entire head, exclusive of the selected or cut-away portions, is rigid in the sense that it holds its shape accurately. Even the reinforced portions of the head, however, have a slight and desirable yieldability due to the softness of the material of the head outside of the metal lining.

A pair of nail-like pins 46 project inwardly from the head adjacent the eye openings,` in order to receive and support the eye set E. These pins are preferably mounted, as shown, with their heads anchored between the lining S and the outer material I-I of the head. To mount the eye set in place, it is simply necessary to insert the same through the neck opening ofthe head, and, after locating the eye shells 34 in the openings, to expand or oppositely reciprocate the sleeves or tubes 32 outwardly over the pins 46. l

The present application is directed primarily to the dolls head as an article of manufacture, but it may be briefly pointed out that the lining or insert S is first made preferably by pressing sheet metal into the desired shape, and that the said lining is preferably itself used as a core when' molding the dolls head. The core may be of full dimension to form the lower portion 48 below the neck opening, but within the head itself the core consists simply of locating members for supporting the sheet metal lining S in proper relation to the core. It further consists of pads covering the cut-away portions 42 and 44 of the lining, but these are detachably or otherwise collapsibly related to the core so as to permit extraction of the core through the neck opening of the head.

It will be perceived that by this method the moldporting or backing function of the first arrangement described, and a complete backing or lining function of the second arrangement described, by adding to the first arrangement one or more arcuate strips of metal for rigidifying the arch or Cranium of the head. Such a modification Vis illustrated in Fig. 7, referring to which it will be seen that the annular strip 50 of the insert S has added thereto an upwardly extending archlike strip 52. 'I'he ends of this strip may be secured to the annular strip 50 by spot-Welding the same together. If desired, still another upwardly extending arch-like strip 54 may be provided transversely of strip 52, and this may similarly be secured to the 'strips 50 and 52 by spot Welding. The complete insert may be substituted for that already described in connection with Figs. l to 3, without any change in the mode of manufacture of the head, for, as was previously pointed out, when stripping the head from the core, the elasticity o-f the material of the head may be taken advantage of until the annular strip 50 is reached, and from that point on, the head is directly removable from the core, regardless of whether it is rigid or yieldable. At the same time, the various parts of the stiffening assembly S will be directly embedded in and securely adherent to the material of the head.

:.It is'believed that the dolls headV of the present invention, and the many advantages thereof, will, for the'most'part, be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. The head is soft and yieldable to the touch in a natural manner, and

vyet retains :its over-all shape. The head is provided withzmovableveyes, and the latter are securely mounted in place despite the resilience of some portions of the head. The mounting means and stiifening means-for the head are preferably combined and thereby simplified. The mounting meanswmay take a variety of forms, and yet in each case it is possible to insert the eye set K -in place through the neck opening of the head.

.high gradedolls, arel retained by the present invention, and at the same time a number of important disadvantages and difficulties are overcome, as aresult of which it is possible to keep the general configuration andany desired parts of the head quite stiff, in contrast with the fleshy parts of .the head, and. it is further possible to provide thehead with a movable eye set which cannot be dislodged by rough treatment of the doll. I L v It will be apparent that while we have shown and described our inventiony in preferred forms, many changes and modifications may be made in the structures disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the Y following claims.

We claim: l l. A dolls head comprising a hollow shell made .of .aimoderately resilient and yieldable rubber, jsaid shell having a pair of eye openings, a metallic frame or support located withinthe shell and extending from the front to the back of the head in order to stiien the same, the shell being molded directly ink contact with and embedding said frame, a pair of eye members, and means Uon the aforesaid metallic frame for .receiving and supporting the aforesaideye members in the eye openings.

2.1 A dolls head comprising a hollow shell made of atleast moderately soft rubber, said shell having a pair of eye openings, a metallic frame or support located within the shell in order to stiffen the same, the shell being molded directly in kcontactwith and embedding said frame, an oscillatable eye set including a pair of eyes and means for operating the same, and means on the aforesaid metallic frame for receiving and supporting the aforesaid eye set in the eye openings.

3. A dollsl head comprising a hollow one-piece shell made of only partially hardened rubber, said'shell having a pair of eye openings, a metallic frame or support located within the shell and extending from the front to the back of the head in order to stiien the same, the shell f being molded directly in contact with and emceiving and supporting the aforesaid eye set in the eye openings. v

Cal

4. .A dolls head comprising va hollow shell made Yof at least vmoderatelysoft rubber, and having fa .pair of eye openings, `an oscillatable `eye set, and .a metallic frarneor support in the fformot agenerally `annular strip of metal `extending Vcircumierentially around fthe "interiorof vthe head, said frame further including at its :sides means adapt- '.ed :to .receive and `hold the aforesaid eye set in place inthe dolls head, the rubber .shell being molded .directly in contact with and embedding the metal frame.

5. A=dolls.head=comprising aihollowshellmade of at least moderately .soft rubber, and having a pair of eye openings, an oscillatable eye set including va cross rod, 'a pair of eye shells, and a depending weight, vand a Vmetallic: backing or :support in Athe form of a generally annular strip of :metal extending circumferentially around the interior of the head, said frame passing -o'ver the aforesaid eye `openings and being apertured to `form bearing seats for the eyes, -said frame -further including at its sides means .adapted to receive and .hold the :aforesaid leye set zin place in the Idolls heard, the rubber shell being molded 4directly in contact with and lembedding .the metal frame.

6. A dolls head Vcomprising a hollow 4one-piece shell made of only :partially hardened rubber, and having a pair of veye openings, an 4osc'illatable eye set including a. cross rod having a pair of eye :shells 'and va depending Weight mounted thereon, and a metallic backing orsupportiin the iormof a generally annular strip of metal extending cizr- -cumferentially around the interior vof Vthe head at its point of largest -diarneterin order to stiien vand hold the shapepf the head, said frame passing Aover the aforesaid eye openings and being yapertured and appropriately shaped at said eye openings to form bearing seatsforzthe eyes, said frame further including at its sides :a pair of vspring tongues adapted y.to receive and 'hold the aforesaid eye setin 'place in the Adolls head, the rubber shell Vbeing molded directly inrontactwith 4:and embedding the metal frame.

7. A `dolls head comprising .ajrhnllow I'one-piece .shell made of at least moderately soft rubbenand having 'a pair of eye openings, an eye set, a 4stii metal backing or lining extending .over a large `area of the ldolls head, said lining being cutaway Vat l(desired places in `.order to .permit the outer surface of the head to yield in a naturalirnanner at `thesaid places, andrneans fon said metal 1infing for receiving and holding the'eye set in place, the rubber shell being molded directly in contact with and atleast Ypartially embedding the metal lining.

8. Afdolks head lcomprising a l-hollow one-piece v.shell made 'of rubber, and having a pair -of veye ropenings, an eye set, a metal 'backing or lining wextending 'generally throughout the interior foi the dolls head, said lining being cut away at the cheeks and chin of the head, in orderto permit -the outside .surface lof the lhead to yield at the said places, and A.means -on .said metal lining for .receiving and -holding the eye `set 1in place, the rubber shell .being'molded :directly inlcontact with and at least partiallyembedding `the metal lining.

.9. A dolls head :comprising-a hollow .oneepi'ece shell made of rubber, and .having .a pair of 'eye openings, an eye set including aroross rod, 1a ipair of tubular members on said cross trod, :a'pair :of eye shells,'and a dependingweight arm, a pressed sheet `metal backing lor lining .extending over -a large area of the dolls head, said lining being cutaway at selected places .in order to permit fthe outside surface -of the head to yield in .a natural mannerat the said places, and a pair bf pins V:directed inwardly from the -sheetimetal lining nf the head, the aforesaid tubular members of -V .sheet metal backing or lining extending genery:

ally throughout the interior ofthe dolls head, said lining being out `away atthe cheeks and chin of the head, ain order :to permit the surface to .yield at the .said poi-nts, .and being -cut `away at `the eye openingsin order .to form bearingiseats v`fer the `eye shells, anda Apair -of y.inwardly directed `pins having their heads supported between .the resilient material -and .the .sheetmetal .lining of the head, the aforesaid tubular members of the eye Vset lbeing 1mounted on the pins in .order to per-mit oscillation-of Athe .eye set .in the .eye .openings, the rubber `.shell being .molded .directly in `contact withrandat Aleast .partially .embedding the .metal dining.

Ll-l. .A .dollfsfhead .comprising .a hollow .shell :made of rubber., -and a metal :backing .or lining extending eover .a Vlarge area .of the dolls head, saidV lining :being rcut away .at desired .places in order -to .permit the kouter `surface .of the head to yield latthe .said places .ina naturalmanner, the .rubber shell being molded .directly in contact with .and at least partially embedding vthe .metal lining. y

' lf2. A.dollsheadcomprising .a hollow one-.piece shell :made `of .only .partially hardened rubber,.-

and ra ,pressed sheet .metal backing .or lining extending generally .throughout 'the interior .of the dollshead, said J'lining being cut away at the cheeks and chin of the head in order to .permit :the outer .surface :to .yield .at the said points, .the

rubber :shell being molded .directly .in contact with .and -at least .partially embedding the metal lining.

A `dolls head comprising .a hollow .molded .shell -made of at least .moderately soft rubber,

said head having a pai-r of eye openings, .a `single lmetallic .stiffeningand reinforcing means .for said shell, said means being substantially `larger tha-n the -eye #openings land .positioned 'to .reinforce the head in the reg-ion of -the .eye openings, the ma- .terial of .the shell being .molded directly around ,and embedding said means, .an oscillatable `eye set comprisinga pair of -eyes and meansfor .operating 'the same, and .means supporting said .eye set for oscillation in the A.aforesaid `eye openings.

le. A dolls head `comprising -a hollow .molded shell .made of .at least moderately `soft rubber, said head having a pair of eye openings, asingle metallic stiffen'ing .and reinforcing ring for said shell, said ring being substantially larger 'than the Veye openings and :positioned to reinforce the head in Ythe region of the eye openings, the `material of the shell vbeing molded directly around and embedding the metal ring, an oscillatable eye :se't comprising Aa pair Vof eyes and means for M `operating the same, and means supporting said .eye set lier-oscillation in the aforesaid eye openings.

. :15. A do'llis head 'comprising a hollow molded .fshell made of at least moderately soft rubber,

said head having a pair of eye openings, a single metallic stiiening and reinforcing means for said shell, said means being substantially larger than the eye openings, the material of the shell being molded directly around and embedding said means, said means having a configuration conforming to that of the head and positioned to stillen the frontal portion of the head, an oscillatable eye set comprising a pair of eyes and gravitational means for operating the same, and means supporting said eye set for oscillation in the aforesaid eye openings.

16. A dolls head comprising a hollow molded shell made of at least moderately soft rubber, said head having a pair of eye openings, a single metallic stiifening and reinforcing ring for said shell, said ring being substantially larger than the eye openings, the material of the shell being molded directly around and embedding the metal ring, said ring having a configuration conforming to that of the head and positioned to stiffen the frontal portion of the head, an oscillatable eye set comprising a pair of eyes and gravitational means for operating the same, and means supporting said eye set for oscillation in the aforesaid eye openings.

17. A hollow doll head comprising a pliable rubber body, the front wall of said rubber body being formed to provide an eye opening, a rigid casing for stiiening said wall locally at the eye opening and having means for supporting and exposing a movable doll eye at the eye opening, said rubber body being formed into a compartment subordinate to and open to the interior of the head for seating and retaining said casing in position.

18. A hollow doll head comprising a pliable rubber body, the front wall of said rubber body being formed to provide an apertured facial characteristic, a rigid casing having means for supporting and exposing a facial element a-t the aperture, said rubber body being so shaped as to form a compartment subordinate to and open to the interior of the head for seating and retaining said casing in position.

19. A hollow doll head comprising a pliable rubber body, the front wall of said rubber body being formed to provide a pair of eye openings, a Vrigid casing member for stifening said Wall l5 locally at the eye openings and having means for supporting and exposing a connected pair of movable doll eyes at the eye openings, said rubber body being formed into a compartment subordinate to and open to the interior of the head for seating and retaining said casing in position.

20. The combination with a hollow head of a rubber doll provided with eye sockets, of a bowed strip of substantially stilT material extending from the temple portions of the head around the back of said head, an arbor in said head and having its ends pivotally mounted in opposite portions of said reinforcing member at the temple portions thereof, spaced eyes carried by the arbor and disposed in said sockets of the head and a pendulum depending from said arbor.

ALEXANDER KONOFF. LEO J. GRUBMAN. 

